Edwin Florence was born December 6, 1872 in
Peterhead, Aberdeenshire. He died February 10, 1945 in Sioux
Lookout, Ontario, Canada.

He was one of seven known children
of James Florence and Mary Falconer. His father was a blacksmith in
Peterhead.

Edwin married Jessie Stewart Thomson on March 1, 1899 in St.
Nicholas, Aberdeen. She was born December 9, 1874 and died May 1,
1971 in Sioux Lookout, Ontario. They had six children, all born in
Peterhead.

The following history was written by his daughter, Ann Hutcheson
Florence Young:

Edwin Florence spent most of his younger
years on sailing ships and on whaling ships in the Antarctic. He is
known to have been a crewmember on the ship 'Scotia' during the
Scottish Antarctic Expedition at the turn of the 20th Century. He
sailed from Kilmarnock, Scotland, 1903.

It is known that
prior to his settling in Canada, he sailed northern waters - to
Iceland, Jutland, the Skageratt and the Baltic Sea. This could have
been connected with fishing trawlers.

His collected artefacts and stories come from his calls in
Rangoon, Hong Kong and Sierra Leone.

Since he was in San
Francisco near the time of the 1906 earthquake, it is thought that
his rounding of the Horn was at about this time. He then returned to
Scotland.

Edwin Florence came to Canada about 1910, working on the
Canadian National Railway construction at Fort William, Ontario,
Canada.

Sioux Lookout, Ontario, was his final choice. He established a
bakery shop in 1918. His wife and children emigrated from Scotland
in 1920. He retired in 1935.

Gravill,
Henry - (28) Second engineer, promoted to chief engineer on the
death of Ramsey

Patrick,
David - (38) Boatswain and quarryman, joined in Buenos Aires Jan
1903

Born: BritainAddress: 10 Church Street,
Dundee

Ramsay, Alan
- (25) First engineer, died on board Scotia 6th Aug 1903

Born: Dundee, ScotlandAddress: 6
Wellington Street, Dundee

Rice, James
- (42) Carpenter

Born: Troon, ScotlandAddress: East Union
Street, Troon

Robertson,
Alexander - (46) Able seaman

Born: Peterhead, ScotlandAddress: 1 Caith
Street, Peterhead

Smith, James
- (26) Able seaman, carpenter's mate

Born: Dundee, ScotlandAddress: 1 Middle
Street, Dundee

Smith, John
- (21) Ordinary seaman

Born: Lerwick, ScotlandAddress: East
Wharf, Shetland

Smith,
William - (42) Second steward

Born: Aberdeen, ScotlandAddress: 2 St.
Matthew Street, Dundee

Walker, Alexander John
- (28) Able seaman, skinman and lampman

Born: Peterhead, ScotlandAddress: 13 Sea
Gate Peterhead

Wilson,
Robert - (22) Fireman and blacksmith

Born: Glasgow, ScotlandAddress: 11 Armour
Street, Kilmarnock

Biographical information
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